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AIB’s #TheToughest Ready to Air

AIB’s new online documentary series as part of the 2018 #TheToughest campaign will go live on YouTube and across social media channels this Friday, July 13th.

Continuing the winning theme of crossover between club and county, this year’s series stars both Harry Redknapp and former Italian footballer and Premier League manager Gianluca Vialli as they take charge of two rival GAA clubs and recreate a famous meeting from 20 years ago.

Vialli is managing Erin’s Isle in Dublin, and Redknapp is in charge of Castlehaven in West Cork.

The two teams faced off in an infamous 1998 AIB GAA All-Ireland Club Semi-Final, where Castlehaven were defeated by a last-minute goal which might have benefitted from the application of modern VAR technology to see if it had crossed the line.

Tomorrow on Sport for Business we have an exclusive interview with one of the key players from that match who has since gone on to play a major role in Irish sport.

The series will culminate in a rematch, set to take place at the end of the summer with Vialli and Redknapp managing their teams and using their managerial expertise to improve and make a difference to their respective teams.

Harry Redknapp was in Dublin yesterday, it was a bit of a day for English Harry’s, and while his Royal namesake jetted back to England to watch last night’s World Cup semi final, Redknapp watched from his Dublin hotel after completing his media engagements.

He is an affable character and was full of chat for assembled media recounting his experience with the GAA to date and the wider subject of soccer and the World Cup.

“I knew nothing about the game when I was asked to take part but I have been really impressed with the level of skill and the way in which the sport is so important in the community,” he said.

“I got along to see a training session with the London team and when I arrived over I tried to bring a few things to a training session.”

“I did come in off the back of a win which is never great cause I’ll get the blame if things go wrong but the lads and everyone around the club were fantastic.”

We asked about how some of the World Cup stars might cope with the physicality of the game and that drew a wry chuckle but he did suggest that Harry Maguire, star of England’s campaign could have a future as a full forward.”

“I’m really looking forward to taking on Gianluca later this summer and hopefully we can right the wrong from 1998!”

“The GAA is one of the most unique and cherished aspects of Irish life,” added Mark Doyle, Head of Group Brands at AIB.

“The dedication and skill demonstrated by players continues generation after generation. We cannot wait to show you what Harry and Gianluca learned from their experience in GAA.”

“Our first episode airs this Friday and we feel they have learnt plenty from what we believe is #TheToughest sport of them all.”

Fans will be able to tune in to see Redknapp’s and Vialli’s journey unfold on camera and the hope is that it will match the massive success of last year’s ‘Road to Croker’ series starring Jeff Stelling and Chris Kamara.